2012 to Be a 'Nightmare' for China's Underground Churches?

2012 to Be a 'Nightmare' for China's Underground Churches?

2011 saw the greatest number of human-rights violations in China since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, but some persecution watchdog groups say 2012 might be even worse, the Christian Post reports. "We do expect a much harsher year, even more so than 2011, although 2011 already marked the worst in terms of religious freedom, human rights and rule of law in two decades," said Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid. According to experts, the government will probably not do anything too drastic or obvious; occasional house church raids and removal of leaders one by one seem to be the preferred techniques to avoid drawing too much attention, said Liang Jinglu, a human rights defender in China. One Communist leader reiterated recently that the government's stance "forbidding members from believing in religion has been consistent and has not changed an iota."